Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Fimmsunred’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Fimmsunred’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; medium-size decorative-type inflorescences with dark purple-colored ray florets; early flowering habit; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FIMMSUNRED’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Chrysanthemum Plant Named ‘FIMMERDERED’.

Applicant: Peter Wain.

Filed: Concurrently with this application. U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/987,340.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as a garden Chrysanthemum and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fimmsunred’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program is to create new early flowering garden Chrysanthemum plants with numerous attractive inflorescences.

The new Chrysanthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination made in January, 2008 by the Inventor in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom of a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 82970, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 83261, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom in September, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal vegetative cuttings was first conducted in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom in December, 2008. Asexual reproduction by terminal vegetative cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fimmsunred’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fimmsunred’ as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant         habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit.     -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Medium-size decorative-type inflorescences with dark         purple-colored ray florets.     -   5. Early flowering habit, under natural season conditions,         plants flower the third week in August in the United Kingdom.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the female parent selection, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Under natural season conditions, plants of the new         Chrysanthemum flower earlier than plants of the female parent         selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have larger inflorescences         than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the male parent selection, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more compact than and not         as vigorous as plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the male parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the male parent         selection have pink-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Fimmerdered’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/987,340 filed concurrently. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of ‘Fimmerdered’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more compact than and not         as vigorous as plants of ‘Fimmerdered’.     -   2. Under natural season conditions, plants of the new         Chrysanthemum flower earlier than plants of ‘Fimmerdered’.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have larger inflorescences         than plants of ‘Fimmerdered’.     -   4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and ‘Fimmerdered’ differ         slightly in ray floret color.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Yotabitha’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,110. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of ‘Yotabitha’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more mounded than and         not as upright as plants of ‘Yotabitha’.     -   2. Under natural season conditions, plants of the new         Chrysanthemum flowered earlier than plants of ‘Yotabitha’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph comprises a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fimmsunred’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter in 14-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom and under cultural practices typical of commercial garden Chrysanthemum production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 21° C. and light levels averaged 6,000 lux. Plants were pinched one time and were about twelve weeks old when the photograph and detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Fimmsunred’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 82970,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 83261,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at             temperatures of about 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at             temperatures of about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures of about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures of about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; light brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous decorative-type garden             Chrysanthemum; stems upright to outwardly spreading giving a             uniformly mounded appearance to the plant; numerous lateral             branches and relatively short internodes, dense and full             plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 14 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 20 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit, about six lateral             branches develop after removal of terminal apex (pinching);             each primary lateral with numerous secondary and tertiary             lateral branches.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 9 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Internode length: About 6 mm. Strength: Moderately strong,             brittle. Aspect: About 70° from stem bending upwardly.             Texture: Fine pubescence. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About             3.5 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm. Shape: Palmately-lobed; roughly             ovate with three lobes. Apex: Broadly acute to mucronate.             Base: Truncate to attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed,             sinuses between lateral lobes parallel to divergent.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Fine pubescence; veins             prominent on lower surface. Color: Developing leaves, upper             surface: Close to 144A. Developing leaves, lower surface:             Close to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close             to N137B; venation, close to 147C. Fully expanded leaves,             lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 147C.             Petioles: Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Fine pubescence. Color, upper             surface: Close to 137B. Color, lower surface: Close to 147C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Form and flowering habit.—Decorative-type inflorescence form             with ligulate to narrowly obovate or oblanceolate-shaped ray             florets; inflorescences borne on terminals above and beyond             the foliar plane; disc and ray florets arranged acropetally             on a capitulum; freely flowering habit with 96             inflorescences developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant; pungent, herbaceous.         -   Flowering response.—Early flowering habit, plants exposed to             natural season conditions begin flowering the third week of             August in the United Kingdom.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color             and substance for about three to five weeks on the plant;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 4 mm. Diameter: About             5 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 143B.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm.         -   Disc diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Receptacles.—Height: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 145B.         -   Ray florets.—Orientation: Initially upright, then about 95°             from vertical. Length: About 2 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape:             Ligulate to narrowly obovate or oblanceolate. Apex:             Emarginate. Base: Fused into a short tube. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Number             of ray florets per inflorescence: About 127 arranged in             about seven whorls. Color: When opening, upper surface:             Close to 187B. When opening, lower surface: Close to 183B.             Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 187C; color becoming             closer to 53A with development. Fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 181A; color becoming closer to 182B with             development.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular, elongated. Length: About 6 mm.             Diameter: About 1 mm. Number of disc florets per             inflorescence: About 28 massed at the center of the             inflorescence. Color, immature: Apex: Close to 15A.             Mid-section: Close to 157C. Base: Close to NN155C. Color,             mature: Apex: Close to 12C. Mid-section: Close to 157C.             Base: Close to 12C.         -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 20             arranged in about three whorls. Length: About 6 mm. Width:             About 4 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Broadly acute. Base:             Truncate, fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Fine pubescence.             Color, upper surface: Close to 141D. Color, lower surface:             Close to 137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 3 cm. Diameter,             terminal peduncle: About 1 mm. Angle: About 75° from             vertical. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Texture:             Fine pubescence. Color: Close to 138B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: None observed. Gynoecium             (observed on ray florets only): Pistil length: About 5 mm.             Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 6C. Style             length: About 4 mm. Style color: Close to 6D. Ovary color:             Close to NN155A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum. -   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common     to Chrysanthemum plants has not been observed on plants of the new     Chrysanthemum. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have     demonstrated good garden performance and to tolerate temperatures     from about 0° C. to about 35° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Fimmsunred’ as illustrated and described. 